write_participant statement

If I run the following I see the echo command showing my first_name and last_name

if (empty($user_id)) {
echo $wp_first_name.’ ‘.$wp_last_name;
$data=array(‘first_name’ => $wp_first_name, ‘last_name’ => $wp_last_name);
// Participants_Db::write_participant($data);
}

However if I now run the following and include the write_participant statement I don’t see the echo command giving the first_name and last_name. The record is created but I don’t see the echo command giving the first_name and last_name. Am I missing something. The names are simply not displayed…

if (empty($user_id)) {
echo $wp_first_name.’ ‘.$wp_last_name;
$data=array(‘first_name’ => $wp_first_name, ‘last_name’ => $wp_last_name);
Participants_Db::write_participant($data);
}

Thanks